HOUSE BOAT : :
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| Houseboats
are ‘legends of lagoons'. Once used for carrying rice and spices
from inland village to towns, they reflect Kerala's culture and traditions.
The entire luggage was covered with bamboo and the boats were held
together with coir knots only and hence the name ‘Kettuvallam'
– ‘Boat with Knots'. The entire boat is constructed with
‘Anjili' wood.Only natural materials like bamboo, palm leaves,
coir etc. is used for boat building reflecting Kerala's unique style
of architecture. When bridge and roads were constructed across lagoons,
houseboats gradually disappeared from scene. Today, the houseboats
are back with all the creature comforts of a luxury home- well furnished
bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, passages, kitchen and
balconyMajority of the house boats are air-conditioned and powered
by engine. The truly magical about a houseboat ride is that you are
in the midst of the lush greenery of otherwise inaccessible inland
villages of Kerala, while you float. Also you can experience the pulse
and innocence of village life. |
| Open
Lounage of Luxuary A/C Houseboat : : |
Modified
to meet a novel concept of holidaying, the kettuvalloms or houseboats
are comfortably furnished with an open lounge, one or two bath
attached bedrooms and a kitchenette, and are extremely eco friendly,
merging smoothly into the panorama. Every houseboat is manned
by a crew - usually a cook, a Captain, and an Oarsman.The kitchen
in the houseboat or ketuvallam is the production center of the
best traditional Kerala food. The availability of fishes and
all along the backwater add special charm to the authentic Kerala
cooking. Only fresh materials are used and purchased locally
to support the economy of the village. Only authentic Kerala
food is prepared under high standards of hygiene and professional
competency by expert cooks, who have been specially trained.
The highest classifications awarded by Dept. of Tourism for
Houseboats are Gold Star and Silver Star. All the Houseboats
dealt by us are either Silver Star or Gold Star. |
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| Bedroom
of Luxury A/c Houseboat : : |
It
takes great skill and meticulousness to construct these giant
Houseboats or Kettuvaloms.Traditionally, the Houseboats was
called Kettuvallam, which means a boat made by tying together
pieces of wood. Unbelievably it may sound, not a single nail
is used in the making of a ketuvallam. Jackwood planks are joiined
together with coir rope and then coated with black resin made
from boiled cashewnut shells.There used to be an entire clan
of artisans who were involved in kettuvallom or houseboat construction.
Today, an innovative holiday idea has restored these majestic
representatives of a unique culture and with them their makers.
The Kerala houseboats that cruise these emerald waterways are
an improvisation on the large country barges which were an essential
part of the land's ethos in days gone by. |
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| Corridor
of Luxury A/c Houseboat : : |
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Front
living area and bedrooms have a beautiful wooden ceiling with
overlapping logs to give it a contemporary feel.The wooden ceiling
in the living/dining area has 200 fiber optic lighting points
to emulate the stars during the night and gives a cozy feeling.
The light intensity or ‘glow’ can be adjusted according
to guest preferences.
Additional lighting in the living area of the Luxury A/c Houseboat
will be provided with terracotta lamps with candles to provide
an ideal, romantic setting for the boat.
The bedrooms of the Luxury A/c Houseboat have complete glass
windows stretching across 3/4ths of the wall to offer the guests
a complete and uninterrupted view of the backwaters while traveling
Each bed in the Luxury A/c Houseboat is located at the exact
height of the window, so the guest gets a good view even while
lying on the bed.
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| Lunch
in the Luxury A/c houseboat : : |
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The exterior walls, i.e. the
textured finished walls in the dining/living area and pathway
have niches incorporated in them. These niches have paintings
that follow a theme on each Luxury A/c Houseboat.
The kitchen, at the rear of the boat, is complete with a
modern equipment and ambience, even though it is for use for
the staff only. A 165 lt. fridge is also part of the equipment
level. Even guests can use the kitchen facility for themselves
if they so choose.
Every toilet is equipped with shower areas and water heaters.
Each room is Air-conditioned using proper split units &
Lifesavers and safety jackets are available on board.
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| Extra
ordinary : : |
| The best
way of experiencing the beauty of the backwaters in kerala is
to cruise along either in a rented boat, a canoe or in Houseboats
which are specifically for tourists. The extra ordinary houseboats,
or Kettuvalloms as they are natively called, are giant boats
measuring around 80 feet in length. They are constructed by
tying wooden planks together with ropes made of coir(coconut
husk) without using a single nail. To cater to the tourism industry,
these Kettuvallams have been made more luxurious with one or
two bedrooms with attached bath, an open lounge, a deck and
a crew of three consisting of a cook, an oarsman and a guide.
Dormitory services are also available for tourists
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